What else should we give to our imperialist big brothers?!

The slogan "The road to the EU passes through Diyarbakır," voiced by ANAP in 1999, was also wholeheartedly adopted by the AKP, especially during the "opening" (açılım) process. Thanks to this, the terrorist organization became politicized, a table was sat at with the terrorist leader, and cities were filled with bombs. As a result, even though we could not enter the EU, we were turned into the EU's migrant warehouse.

Nowadays, imperialists and their extensions within us are showing the AKP a new "road" for "all kinds of European perspectives." The AKP is also preparing to fulfill these as part of the "second reform wave" that came to the agenda after the March 31 local elections.

AREN'T THESE ALSO GOALS SCORED AGAINST OUR OWN TEAM?

Before coming to this new "road," let us tell perfect examples of who actually does the things that the government uses to accuse domestic opponents—which it previously called "fifth column activity" and now calls "influence agency," and how they do it.

As is known, there is a "spring atmosphere" between us and Greece. Ankara's implementation of the decision to convert the Chora Monastery into a mosque, which it took in 2020, just before Prime Minister Mitsotakis' return visit on May 13, slightly clouded this atmosphere. Stating that the decision was an "unnecessary and wrong choice," Mitsotakis announced that he would bring this up in his meeting with Erdoğan. He did as he said and told Erdoğan to his face that they were saddened by the decision in question and that he "believed this extraordinary place was a work belonging to all of humanity."

Before Mitsotakis, one more person reacted to this decision. This person was Archbishop Elpidophoros, whom the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople appointed to the Greek Orthodox Church in the USA 5 years ago, who is a citizen of the Republic of Turkey, and who has been showing off in all anti-Turkey activities since the day he went to the USA, but whom Ankara has persistently ignored and turned a blind eye to. Elpidophoros, who accused Turkey with harsh expressions and organized protest actions following the opening of Hagia Sophia to worship in 2020 and mobilized the US administration, sent the following messages, mixed with threats, to the government regarding the Chora decision in summary:

"This decision, taken after the seizure of Hagia Sophia and its reconversion into a mosque, creates a discordant note in the symphony of mutual respect and understanding between people of all faiths... The logic of the ‘right of conquest,’ upon which the reconversion of Hagia Sophia into an Islamic mosque in July 2020 was based, means a regression of human civilization to medieval standards. Moreover, the fact that a clergyman brandishes a sword in ‘conquered monuments’ in the 21st century brings the element of violence back to the agenda... It is the prerogative of the Turkish government to take the decisions it deems appropriate. However... Instant political interests should not overshadow long-term damages... These decisions of the Turkish government (the conversion of other monuments in addition to Hagia Sophia and Chora Monastery) have the potential to undermine human rights and freedoms and to approve the use of religion as a weapon.”

Following these messages, he not only called on the Turkish government to reconsider the Chora decision with expressions of intimidation such as, “Especially considering that the Ecumenical Patriarchate, which is the world center of Orthodoxy, is in Istanbul and is located in a country where many citizens belong to other religions and sects, and being aware of the seriousness and possible consequences of this action,” but also noted that “the American government should be concerned about these developments.”

The US Department of State also announced the very next day that they “encouraged the Turkish government to protect and provide access to places and buildings that host different religious communities, respecting their diverse histories.”

Of course, Ankara did not say a single word to this citizen of its own!..

On May 22, at the meeting of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA), which he attended—an association that is a “tremendous supporter of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Mother Church of Constantinople” and a “defender of Greece and Cyprus in the halls of the USA”—he this time offered his appreciation to AHEPA “for its determination and success in bringing to the agenda important issues such as the rights and freedoms of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, which are important for Greek Americans and Cypriot Americans, and the 50-year illegal Turkish occupation in Cyprus.”

“TURKISH” DISHES COOKED IN GREECE

Last week, our Embassy in Athens organized an event to promote Aegean cuisine as part of "Turkish Cuisine Week," and while our Ambassador Çağatay Erciyes emphasized that he “believed that Turkish and Greek cuisines have the power to unite the two peoples,” an international conference was being held in Athens, led by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, Archbishop Elpidophoros of the Greek Orthodox Church of the USA, and the Archon organization, which operates under the Patriarchate and aims to realize Greece's “Megali Idea.”

One of the main agenda items of the “Protection of Religious Freedoms, Democracy and Human Rights” was “the treatment of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.”

For this, Archbishop Elpidophoros, who went to Athens representing Bartholomew, and AHEPA Vice President Savvas Tsivikos attended another event before the conference. At this event, while Elpidophoros commemorated the "martyrs who lost their lives in the Turkish occupation of Cyprus," AHEPA Vice President Tsivikos said:

“Turkey is testing our borders. The Ecumenical Patriarchate is under siege, two of our monuments have been turned into mosques. We have nothing to fear as we unite and resolutely defend the rightful rights of the Greek people and look forward to the liberation of Cyprus.”

POMPEO CRITICIZED ERDOĞAN

Let's come to the conference.

The opening speech was made via teleconference by Patriarch Bartholomew, who is himself a citizen of the Republic of Turkey, of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, which is a Turkish institution according to the Treaty of Lausanne.

Let's start with former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Recalling the reactions to his visit to Istanbul in November 2020, bypassing Ankara just to meet with Patriarch Bartholomew, Pompeo, who praised the “Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, whom he visited in Constantinople” despite Turkey's “‘mild reactions,’ to put it diplomatically,” condemned the decision to convert this place into a mosque, again using the phrase “Chora Monastery in Constantinople,” and not only described it as a “provocation” and a “great challenge,” but also criticized Erdoğan and stated that he hoped “the people of Turkey will eventually choose leaders who respect religious freedoms.”

LOOK AT THE AUDACITY

Dr. Limberakis, Commander of the Archons, who is directly subordinate to Patriarch Bartholomew, drew attention to the regimes in Turkey that restrict freedom of expression, as well as the lack of democratic principles in countries like Russia and China, while Archbishop Elpidophoros of the Greek Orthodox Church of the USA promised to “bring the light of the Phanar to the whole world.”

Athanasios Martinos, President of the Brotherhood of Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Europe, who co-chaired the conference, after drawing attention to the “solidified position of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Turkey in recent years,” said, “Let me say boldly that every European perspective towards Turkey passes through the Ecumenical Patriarchate.”

Look at that!.. Turkey's European road passes through the “Ecumenical Patriarchate”!..

ANKARA'S MAGNIFICENT (!) RESPONSE TO THESE IMPUDENCES

What do the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, whose trampling of the Treaty of Lausanne has been turned a blind eye to during the AKP government, and its imperialist big brothers want?

To be accepted as "Ecumenical," that is, the head of 300 million Orthodox Christians...

For the Theological School of Halki, which the Patriarchate closed in 1971 to avoid complying with a Constitutional Court ruling, to be opened to operate autonomously, outside the control of the Ministry of National Education and contrary to the Law on Unification of Education...

For the legal personality of the Patriarchate to be accepted, that is, to be allowed to own property...

Let us explain what all this means with the following statements made in the past by MHP Leader Bahçeli, a partner of the People's Alliance:

“All kinds of administrative and political actions of the Patriarch at the head of the Patriarchate, which is a Turkish institution, as the spiritual leader of all world Orthodox Christians will be officially recognized by Turkey, and the reflections of these actions in terms of Turkish domestic law and the legal consequences they will create will be accepted; the Patriarchate will gain legal personality and will engage in all kinds of activities outside the framework determined in Lausanne, and thus the Treaty of Lausanne will be breached and the Patriarchate will attain a political status.”

(January 29, 2008)

“The use of the Ecumenical title by the Greek Patriarch of the Phanar, who is affiliated with the Fatih District Governorship in Istanbul, should be handled in this context... It should be known that the so-called Ecumenical title of the Greek Patriarch of the Phanar is completely contrary to Lausanne, the founding treaty of our state... We are of the opinion that one must be blind not to see that the goal of capturing Istanbul by turning it into a Vatican-like miniature or city-state is persistently pursued.”

(December 2, 2014)

We know that Bartholomew is now even invited to the Palace with the title of “Ecumenical.”

As for the issue of the Theological School;

One day before that conference, where Turkey was challenged in Athens on May 26-28, was held, Ankara took the following step on May 25:

Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin visited the closed Halki Theological School, received information about the restoration works, and toured the school's library.

Afterwards, it turned out that the reason for this visit was that the government was taking action for the opening of the Theological School. Minister Tekin, who was reported to be carrying out preparations on this issue as part of the “second reform wave” and taking the opinions of former ministers, said, “President Erdoğan gave instructions for the issue to be investigated. My personal opinion is also in favor of the school being reopened.”

What a magnificent (!) response to the blatant ambitions of the imperialist big brothers and their extensions within us regarding the Ecumenical Patriarchate, isn't it?!

There is a lot to tell about the ins and outs of the Theological School issue, let's end it for now like this:

If the legal personality of the Patriarchate is also accepted in the name of securing support from Western credit institutions due to the economic crisis and making the “Copenhagen criteria the Ankara criteria”; not just Hagia Sophia, even Chora or Istanbul will not remain!..

Müyesser YILDIZ

June 7, 2024